By Bisola Adeyemo
Heavy downpour on Wednesday night has left parts of Osogbo, Osun state capital flooded and partly submerged, prompting experts to call on the State government to implement a flood master plan to mitigate recurrent flooding in the state.
While the experts acknowledge that the steps may not prevent flooding, they maintained that it will reduce its effect on the environment to the barest minimum.
The duo of John Onyeziri, a retired Meteorologist with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Engineer Debo Alani, a retired Director of Flood Control and Engineering Services, Osun State Ministry of Environment gave these recommendations on Thursday during a current affairs programme monitored by daily post in Osogbo.
The experts also advised the government to empty all possible action to curb illegal dumping of refuse on drainage, streams and rivers, stop and control illegal mining activities, improve channelisation designs and install early warning flood systems in flood-prone areas across the state.
While noting that climate change and global warming was affecting the level of rainfall and the persistence of flooding, the duo also advised residents to stop the buying and development of land that are nearer to rivers and streams as this would affect the natural course of water.